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The farmer who died fighting a bushfire threatening his property on Western Australia’s south coast has been identified as Shire of Ravensthorpe deputy president Mark Mudie.
Mudie, 59, was building a firebreak with a front-end loader on his property at West River, near Ravensthorpe, when his vehicle was overwhelmed with flames.
Police said he died at the scene.

Western Australia Liberal Senator Slade Brockman praised Mark Mudie for his dedication as a farmer and a valued community member.

A headshot of Mark Mudie in a blue shirt

Remembered as a leader who devoted himself to his community, Mark Mudie’s contributions were acknowledged by a state senator. Brockman remarked on Mudie’s relentless commitment to the well-being of his community and family farm.

Expressing his condolences, Brockman shared on Facebook, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mark Mudie, a Ravensthorpe community leader, farmer, and deputy president of the Shire of Ravensthorpe. He was a man who constantly worked for the betterment of his community and family farm.”
“I know him well and have talked to him about many issues in the in the Ravensthorpe community,” he said.
WA Premier Roger Cook said it was a “desperately sad situation” that would leave a “lasting impact” on the tight-knit local community.
“A fire is a traumatic event for any community, but when it’s combined with a loss of life, that’s devastating, so our hearts are going out to them today,” he said.
WA Police said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.
Parts of the state were under a total fire ban on Tuesday.
A home was lost in the West Australian regional town of Geraldton on Monday as more fires burned out of control.

The regional Member of Parliament, Peter Rundle, also honored Mudie’s memory with a tribute in the state parliament.

WA Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia said: “That is appalling behaviour, totally unacceptable and [police] are going to be focused on identifying the culprits and bringing them to justice.”
He also criticised drone operators flying their aircraft near the blaze.
“There has been an incredibly concerning situation where a number of people have been operating private drones in the vicinity of the fire,” he said.
“This is ridiculous behaviour, incredibly dangerous and can impede, if not endanger, the firefighting crew in those aircraft and potentially result in loss of life and infrastructure,” Papalia said.
In NSW, fires were burning in the Goulburn River National Park and the Hunter Valley region, following hot, dry conditions on Monday that sparked dozens of fires.
On Monday, more than 500 firefighters and incident management personnel were deployed around the state.
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press
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